An innovative prototype for better management of inhalation aneshesia, the Boston Anesthesia System, was developed by the Bioengineering Unit, Department of Anesthesia, Massachusetts General Hospital. The system performs all the traditional functions required of an anesthesia machine, but includes many innovative safety, display, and system monitoring functions. In this project, this prototype is used as a foundation for developing a complete integrated anesthesia management system including semi-automated record-keeping, comprehensive physiological monitoring, measurement of anesthetic concentration in the breathing circuit, and capabilities of performing as a sophisticated anesthesia training simulator. This advanced anesthesia research instrumentation will employ a sophisticated communication structure that preserves the inherent safety and reliability of the anesthesia administration functions while allowing flexibility and innovation of application. The BAS will act as a separate device within the instrumentation system and will contain a fixed, unalterable operating program separate from and uneffected by recording, monitoring, or display activities. The instrumentation system will be used to test the feasibility and value of various strategies for semi-automated record-keeping. Microcomputer programs will be developed for simulating important anesthesia crises and developing understanding of anesthetic uptake and distribution. A simple, rugged, inexpensive anesthetic gas sensor will be developed and, if results warrant, integrated within the instrumentation system for laboratory and animal trials and for use in the record-keeping and simulation activities. The record-keeping will also provide critical and unique documentation of machine performance and patient response during clinical trials of the BAS. Efforts will be continued to propagate the concept of a system's approach to the design of anesthesia apparatus and to safely and effectively transfer this technology to anesthesia practice.